"I Save Lives. You?"

帅哥

"I Save Lives. You?"
by Donna Cardillo, RN, MAfficeffice" />

While recently traveling on business, I noticed a billboard with a picture of a police officer on it. The caption read, “I save lives. What do you do?” What a powerful statement and a great way to illustrate the significant work police officers do. The same billboard could be used for nurses. Because, when all is said and done, that is the essence of what we do. We save lives, and we improve lives. No matter what specialty or work setting we’re in, our impact is significant and far-reaching.

在近日的出差旅程中，我注意到一张在告示板上的警察相片，相片标题说着:”我拯救生命，而你呢? 这真是一个强而有力的句子，而且替警察的工作做了贴切的描述。这样的告示也适用在护士，因为这是我们工作性质的精髓，我们拯救生命，我们促进及改善生命。不论我们在哪一种科别或是不同的工作环境工作，我们的影响力是显而易见而且无远弗届的。

It’s always challenging to convey to outsiders what we do in terms that are meaningful to them. There is still a widespread belief that nurse are “helpers” to the physician, obediently and selflessly following orders. What most people (even some nurses) fail to recognize is that nursing is an independent and autonomous profession. It is a knowledge-based profession with its own body of science, research, and practice standards.

向外界传达我们护士所做的事对于他们是非常具有意义的观念，一向十分具有挑战性。护士只是医生的”助手”，毫无自我的遵从医嘱”这样的想法还是十分普遍，大部分的人(甚至一些护士) 缺乏这样的认知:护士是一门独立而且有自主权的专业。护理是一门有其知识凭据的专业，而且有自己的科学根据，学术研究及实务操作的准则。

Nurses develop their own plan of care for patients — just as physicians do. We use critical thinking skills, initiate life-saving measures, and conduct comprehensive, precise evaluations and monitoring. We teach, counsel, coach, nurture and support. We are healthcare experts in our own right. Nurses possess a great body of healthcare knowledge and experience — even right out of nursing school.

护士就如同医生一医，独立策画对病人照护的计划，我们运用批判性思考的能力，并且采取了综合性，精准的评估方式及监测、观察。我们指导、谘商、建议、培育及支持(病人)。我们是医疗体系里的专家。即使是刚出校门的护士，也具备很好的医疗照护知识及经验

And while part of our job is sometimes to coordinate orders and treatments, we do not blindly follow orders. We interpret, translate, evaluate, and apply judgment. We also consult with and advise other members of the healthcare team. We then skillfully plan, implement, administer, manage, and coordinate all aspects of care to established standards of nursing practice.

我们一部分的工作内容需要协调、配合医嘱及治疗，然而我们并不盲从医嘱。我们分析、评估而且判断。我们也向医疗团队里的其它成员进行谘商及建议。然后我们有技巧的计划、执行、管理，协调所有的层面以建立护理照护的标准。

When I am out in non-healthcare circles and people find out I am a nurse, some say with a tinge of disgust in their voice, “Oh, I could never do what you do.” I often say to them, “You’re right — you probably couldn’t. Nursing is not for everyone. It’s challenging to have someone’s life, health, and well-being in your hands at all times.” When people sympathetically say, “Nurses work so hard,” I sometimes respond, “Yes, it is hard work saving lives, promoting health and wellness, and improving the welfare of the planet.”

当我身处于非医疗照护的环境，而人们发现我是护士时，有些人的语气带着轻微厌恶的说:”喔!我不可能做你的工作的。”我通常都这么回答他们:”你说对了，你也许不行。不是人人都适任护士，因为无时无刻肩负一个人的生命、健康及福祉是具有挑战性的。”当有人怜悯的说:”护士工作好辛苦喔!”我有时回答:”是的，拯救生命，保障身心健全及促进全民福利的工作是辛苦的。"

But the question I find most remarkable and annoying is, “You’re so intelligent. Why didn’t you become a doctor?” It’s as if intelligent people become doctors and less intelligent people become nurses. When I was recently asked that question — for the first time in decades — I gave the questioner my standard answer: “It is precisely because I am so intelligent that I chose nursing. Nursing and medicine are two entirely different career paths. One is not an elevated version of the other. I chose nursing because it keeps me in closer proximity to healthcare consumers — where I believe I can do the most good.” I sometimes add, “Don’t ever underestimate the amount of intelligence, science, and the skill needed to be a great nurse. We make it look easy because we’re so good at what we do.”

但是最让我觉得特别及厌烦的问题是:”你这么聪明，为什么你不当医生?”这好像说聪明的人当医生而不那么聪明的人成为护士。当我最近被问到这个问题时，这是这数十年来的第一次，我给了我的标准回答，”正是因为我是如此的聪明所以我选择了当护士，护理和医学是完全不同的职业。两者没有高低之分。我选择护理因为它让我有机会最近距离的接触医疗体系消费者，这是我最能发挥长才之处”我有时附加上:”从来不要低估成为一个杰出的护士所需要的聪明才智、科学思考及技术。我们使我们的工作看起来简单是因为我们如此称职及优秀。"

So the next time someone asks you what you do, consider responding, “I save lives and improve health. I’m a nurse. What do you do?”

所以，当下一次有人问你的工作是什么时，你可以考虑这样回答:”我拯救生命并且促进健康。我是个护士，你呢?”